1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to sports training devices, and more particularly to swing training apparatus, and still more particularly to a multi-sport swing training apparatus for use in teaching efficient and powerful striking and throwing motions in ballistic motion sports.
2. Background Art
Success in many sports requires the precise use of a powerful motion to propel a ball or object, either by throwing it or by using an implement (e.g., racquet, club or bat) to strike it. Though the sports can be quite diverse (e.g., golf, tennis, and baseball), there are significant similarities in the biomechanics and kinesiology of how power is generated and applied within the throwing and hitting skills characteristics of these sports.
There are several key principles of effective power generation in throwing and hitting motions. First, one must have a stable base, or platform, from which to generate power. Lower body balance, and control of the transfer of weight and momentum are vital for delivering force in the desired direction. Throwing and hitting motions are generally initiated by shifting the majority of our weight to the back foot and leg. This loads the large muscles of the leg—gastrocnemius in the calf, and quadriceps, hamstrings and adductors in the thigh—and the gluteals in the hip and pelvis.
The next anatomic level, viz., abdomen and trunk, contains several key muscle groups that help not only to stabilize the body's center of mass, but also to stretch and highlight the rotational differences between the lower and upper parts of the body. The abdominal, oblique and latisimus dorsi muscles must work together to maximize flexibility and enhance the body turn.
The benefit of coordinating lower body and trunk movements is that it maximizes axial rotation, or rotation around the spine. This translates into shoulder turn, which is the next principle for generating power. In fact, it is the differential rotation of the shoulders relative to generally stable hips and lower body that is one key to generating maximum stored (potential) energy before starting the forward swing.
The arms perform widely different functions depending on the sport, but there are three principles that pertain to generating power. First, in the preparation or windup phase of the motion, the arms must remain as tension-free as possible. Second, external rotation of the humerus at the shoulder is a key ingredient for matching the efforts of the body and arms (and therefore the implement). And, the position of function of the wrist must be maintained into the hitting or throwing zone. These three characteristics, to be detailed later, are essential to a number of hitting and throwing motions that are the foundation of many sports.
The initiation of the forward, or downswing, comes next, after the upper body is coiled upon the more stable lower body. Amateurs struggle mightily with this. If they haven't lost their ideal position on the backswing, most lose it immediately at the beginning of the downswing. Professionals seem to harness and deliver power with seemingly little effort. What's the difference?
Efficiently generating power in a forward swing or throw requires several things. First, weight must be partly transferred to the forward foot while maintaining balance and a stable platform. Second, rapid hip rotation commences, during and in conjunction with continued weight shift, effectively increasing the differential rotation between the shoulders and lower body. This produces “lag”, i.e., a stretching of the muscles in the side and back between the upper torso and the hips, which is the key to preserving the potential energy of the backswing. Third, the arms, moving in unison with the body as it uncoils, are whipped through the throwing/hitting zone, thereby increasing club head/racquet/bat/ball speed. Fourth, by not trying to manipulate the hands or implement through contact, a full and unrestricted follow through can ensue to complete the motion.
Amateurs are often overloaded with swing thoughts and doubts, which go a long way towards producing tension in the arms and hands, and limiting power. In part this happens because most people have never felt the proper sequence that results in unloading and transferring stored power. Fundamentally, at some point in their swing motion most people have poorly sequenced body and arm movements (and therefore the implement), thus preventing them from maximizing their power. For example, in tennis it often happens early in the swing due to faulty footwork and occasionally bad advice (“Take the racquet back early!”) which leads to an all arm motion. In baseball, the difficulty of adjusting to various pitches makes it hard to apply the stored power. In golf, many people rush at the top of the swing, turning the shoulders too early relative to the hips, and this results in casting the club, loss of power, and a sliced shot in most cases.
To date, no individual sport swing training apparatus has adequately addressed the key issues of power discussed above. And specifically, no swing training device on the market attempts to train for multiple sports by harnessing the proper sequence of muscle movements for generating and applying power. The multi-sport swing training apparatus of the present invention addresses these deficiencies.
Hundreds of devices have been invented to help people with their swings in sports. They are sport specific, and the vast majority are golf devices. None have been devised to correctly harness power, reinforce the proper sequence in applying it, and adapt to multiple sports.